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The differences between principal quality engineers and quality assurance managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a principal quality engineer, becoming a quality assurance manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal quality engineer has an average salary of $103,677, which is higher than the $99,894 average annual salary of a quality assurance manager.
The top three skills for a principal quality engineer include sigma, corrective action and ISO. The most important skills for a quality assurance manager are continuous improvement, product quality, and corrective action.
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $103,677 | $99,894 |
| Hourly rate | $49.84 | $48.03 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 120,965 | 62,293 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Principal quality engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for providing quality engineering support and technical guidance to help the quality activities of a project. They are required to supervise the quality management system to monitor the progress of projects and ensure their timely deliveries. They must provide quality assurance (QA) solutions while evaluating the efficiency of their existing QA processes. Principal quality engineers must also identify technical risks and challenges by suggesting corrective actions and QA process improvements.
A Quality Assurance Manager's responsibility varies on the organization or industry where one is assigned. Most of the time, the duties will revolve around quality control, such as overseeing a company's manufacturing operations, ensuring that the process followed all of the necessary protocols, and the products met all of the standards in adherence to the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, one must be able to detect and identify mistakes, conduct constant inspections, coordinate with various staff and supervisors, develop the workforce's quality by training employees, and come up with strategies that will help the company attain financial gains.
Principal quality engineers and quality assurance managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Average salary | $103,677 | $99,894 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $133,000 | Between $70,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Palo Alto Networks | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a principal quality engineer and a quality assurance manager in terms of educational background:
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between principal quality engineers' and quality assurance managers' demographics:
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 8% |